Glacier Formation
So far, you have studied how soils move on land—in the form of slides and flows. You have also studied how water moves along the surface in streams, rivers, and creeks. But what happens to that water when it freezes? Does it still move? Look at this image.
Is the ice moving? The streaks in the snow and ice almost look like roads. This is an indication that this ice does move.
Masses of ice that move over land are called glaciers. They are sometimes called rivers of ice, but they flow much slower than rivers. At their fastest, glaciers only move about 10 meters per day (about 30 feet). You can likely walk that distance in just a few seconds. Glaciers form and recede in a cyclic process. Glaciation is when the glaciers form and ablation is when the glaciers recede (or melt). Click through the timeline to learn how glaciers move through this cyclic process.
